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This is today's blog post on my site. I wrote it starting at 4:30 AM as I reflected on a gift(s) I received Friday from my cousin... I got a little emotional. BEGIN>>>> Recently, my cousin surprised me with a collection of carving knives and gouges, belonging to Uncle Ronny, my late mother's brother. My cousin, after sharing images of some of my woodworking creations with him during a recent visit with her dad, he expressed his deep joy in witnessing a family tradition endure. At 90 years old, struggling with declining eyesight and unable to continue his own carving, he graciously offered to pass on his cherished tools to me. I will honor these tools, and continue the tradition. Every family has its traditions, its unique way of passing down wisdom, and cherished memories through the generations. In our family, that tradition will be built from love and the hands of a grandfather known as "Poppy." Taking on the moniker of my grandfather... "Poppy"... I reflect on my life, and I realize that one of my most cherished legacies is the creation of art, that of woodworking, which I'm eagerly preparing to pass on to my beloved grandson. Being a "Poppy" to my grandson is a role I hold close to my heart. It's a name that fills me with warmth and pride, as well as, warm memories of my own "Poppy", and the time we spent side-by-side, fishing, drawing, painting, carving, riding the NYC subway, and more. For it represents not only the bond between us but also the promise of continuing a tradition that has deep roots in our family. It is a name I strive to live up to as a grandfather. The smell of sawdust, the hum of a scroll saw, and the feel of a well-worn chisel in my hands are now the constants in my life. Scroll sawing and carving is more than just a hobby; it's a passion that has been a part of me for fifty years when I first entered the wood shop in seventh grade. As the years pass, I spend more hours in my workshop, crafting toys, puzzles, clocks, and art pieces, each piece bearing the mark of my heart and soul, a labor of love that I hope will bring joy to my family (and others) for generations to come. But, in my heart, I always knew that the true value of these creations lay not just in their beauty, but in the connection they would foster between me and my grandson. It brings me immeasurable joy to imagine the day when my grandson, with his wide eyes full of wonder, stands beside me in my workshop. I will teach him to respect the tools, honor the wood, to wield the tools of our hobby with care and precision. Together, we'll craft his first wooden toy, a simple yet magical creation that will be infused with love and guidance. These moments are not just about teaching woodworking skills. They are about forging a bond between us that will withstand the test of time. I want to share the stories of his great-great-grandparents, our triumphs, and our cherished memories as My Poppy and I worked side-by-side painting. For me... through these moments, I hope to pass down not just the craft of woodworking, but also the values of patience, perseverance, and creativity. The true gift, though, will come when the day arrives for my grandson to inherit his "Poppy's" tools. As he takes possession of these well-worn, but meticulously maintained, instruments of creation, he'll also inherit the responsibility of continuing our family's creative traditions. These tools, which have seen the birth of countless treasures and the formation of lasting memories, will now become his companions on a journey of self-discovery and artistic expression. In the passing of these tools, I'm passing down more than just instruments of woodwork. I'm passing down the love that has been poured into each piece I've crafted, the pride that comes with honing a skill over a lifetime, and the knowledge that, as "Poppy," I'll always be with him in spirit, guiding his hands as he shapes wood into something beautiful. I hope as I watch my grandson embrace the art of scroll sawing and carving, I'm filled with hope for the future. I know that, through our shared love of wood and creation, we are connecting the past with the present, and building a bridge to the future. The legacy of "Poppy" lives on, not just in the toys and art we create but in the bond between us that transcends time and generations. In the end, it's not the tangible items I leave behind that matter most, but the intangible lessons, values, and love that I pass on. As I look forward to the day my grandson takes the reins in the workshop, I'm filled with gratitude for the opportunity to be "Poppy" and for the legacy I have the privilege of leaving him. Image: Two of my Uncle Ronny's unfinished carvings, and a carving knife he made. 2nd Image, I found a couple photos of his carvings and a "self-portrait" carving.

Was asked to come up with a gift for fund raiser prize for grandson's baseball team. (I have given enough chactuterie boards). Have done these before for all sorts of sports and probably this team too but it has been a few years. Hopefully will raise a few bucks.

Layered Snowflake Ornament #1 pattern by Keith Fenton and found in SWWC Winter issue page 72. I stack cut two blanks 1/4" x 4" square for each top (Ash) and back (Eastern Red Cedar}. I found the Eastern Red Cedar is too fragile and broke when sanding, so I balanced by cutting off every other little piece. Cut on the Pegas Scroll Saw using #1 MGT blades. After sanding, dipped in diluted Shellac and the one coat of spray Lacquer Clear Gloss. Comments welcome.

I managed to kill one vacuum cleaner with the constant on/off. A little bit of research indicates that this is indeed the case.

I have the Epson ET-16600. Looks a lot similar. I got mine over a year ago at office Depot for a significantly highr price. It works great. I print a lot of 11x17 and I only recently had to add new ink. I like the ink tanks much better than the cartriges. I bought a ream of the 13 x 19 paper on line and it will last me a long time. Don't use too much of it but it sure is nice when you need it. it is great for utilizing the full 12" project panels I use. I often need just that extra 2 inch width you can't print on the 11" wide paper.

In wood turning we use micro mesh. It is clothe backed and lasts a long timeI used it to finish pens. went from 1500 grit to up past 6K grit I believe. It was for wet sanding. You could also get it foam backed. Probably more them you would want.

You got to have alcohol to scean offs the vood agter vou sahthes its.

I've had this printer about two months and love it. It will print on 13" x 19" paper. That size paper is a bit pricey but I love not having to tape so many patterns together.

I'm envious of folks who have relatives that they are close with. I have 4 grandchildren, all adults, who share not a drop of my blood. I am not close with any of them and none of them have any interest in working with their hands. Or minds for that matter. They are content to just float through life. I was close to my Dad and one Grandfather. They both taught me many things and I inherited their spirits of creativity and mechanical ability. I fix stuff! I love making things and learning what makes things tick. I've tried to share my knowledge with my son. He doesn't live near me but we are close in our thoughts. He is a clone of me in many ways. I'm sad for many of the younger generations as they don't seem to see beyond their phones.

Those are great carvings. I always wanted to be a carver, but my hands just do not carve what my eyes see and my mind thinks they should do. I have some nice carving knives. but in this case better tools did not help. It seems my grand children do not have any interest in working with their hands other than clicking on a keyboard or cell phone. Sad. One grandson really has some artistic talent for drawing, but it has faded as he has gotten into the teen years. Maybe it will come back when he gets older. If they play on phones or computer there is instant results. Woodworking art work, etc. takes some patience.

I want to think both Kevin and Ray for their input on this saw. I am still thinking about it and waiting to hear back about the person supposedly doing up the part with the 3D printer! I did have to postpone a couple of orders that I took at the craft show a couple of weeks ago, so I can't wait to long! Again thanks for the input! Erv

I am pretty sure you are right. The clamp opening is not square and no matter how tight I tighten it never has even pressure on the blades. I have called the company and they are sending me new blade clamps. Thanks for the input.

When I had my shop in NC and had my big lathe, I also did a lot of turnings. After sanding, to get a really smooth final finish,a handfull of shavings was the choice prior to applying any kind of finish. For a very fine, hard and smooth finish I often used thin AC glue. Had to work fast but worked great. when I had my sho

Thanks for the replies Polyurethane is definitely worth considering, I was sold on the idea that you had to soak your cutting in a Tung ( Danish Oil ) to protect it and seal it. Spraying poly on would do the same thing if I read the replies correctly. I am paying just short of $30 for 500ml of Danish Oil, Poly is much cheaper.

It's a tank printer.

Great for solid wood projects like statues, puzzles, toys, etc. IMHO, not practical for fretwork type ply panels, with or without backer. I like lacquer because I can get a nice, quite smooth, finish with no, in between coats, sanding needed. Multiple coats with only a short dry time in beween, tends to get smoother and smoother. I prefer poly for finishing stained wood frames, but don't take it to the extreme Ron does. Still experimenting with clear acrylic coatings.

I’ve been using a saddle stool for some time. Very comfortable keeping your back straight, stable and compact.

95% of my projects receive a minimum 4 coats of polyurethane( satin )and some up to 6 (painted or unpainted). Lightly sanding with a 1500 grit between each coat. Each coat is left to dry 1 day before applying the next. Once I’m satisfied with the number of coats I lightly sand the project with 1500 grit wet with bees wax wiping dry and polishing with a cheese cloth. The final result feels like glass to the touch. I’ve been using this process for over twenty years. Yes I know there are many other beautiful finishes but this is the one I prefer.

Even Clear varnish tends to yellow over time. And, I personally do not like oil finishes because even when they feel dry to the touch it will attract dust to the work. For the same reason I would not use any kind of wax finish. Most appropriate choices for uncolored or stained wood include Clear Spray orWipe-on Ppolyurathane and Clear Spray Lacquer. I use rattle can lacquer but it is available in bulk at much lower cost per use as long as you have the equipment to spray. For wood that you add color to, it depends on the paint type. Clear acrylic sprays are best for pieces painted with Acrylic (water base) Paints or stains. Polycrylic is a name brand that tends to be expensive, but I have found Krylon and some store brand maufacturers have Clear Acrylic protective coatings at much lower costs. I use Clear Spray Laquer over acrylic painted pieces also, with out any problems. A craft store, like Hobby Lobby here in the USA, has the acrylic spray cans at much lower cost that the hardware stores that only handle the Polycrylic brand. For any oil based painted pieces I would stick with polyurethane or lacquer. Both Lacquer and Poly create a hard durable surface. IMHO, if it good enough for most furniture manufactuers, it is good enough for Scroll work. Clear Acrylic coatings are also good, but, again in my opinion, not quite as durable as Poly. Lacquer and the acrylic coatings have the advantage of a very fast dry time, while poly takes forever to dry just to be able to handle, especially if the humidity is high. For me a BLO finish takes too much work and time, that to me is not warrented for the product our hobby produces. And, last, Poly is the only protective coating I will use for any piece that will hang outside.

I tried many different ways to create a top vac the way I like. (I think I saw someone else with this setup).For the longest time, I was using a 1/4" ID Loc-Line with a computer brush on the end. It worked okay-ish but for oily, or heavy wood, it would not work well at all. Also, small cut-offs would clog it. So I tried multiple design iterations. Had many "human factors" considerations too. Don't get in the way of my light/magnifying glass, away from my hands, stay put, don't bounce/vibrate, not get hit by the chuck, but be close to it, generate enough suction, etc. Finally went to 3/4" ID Loc-Line and it works really well. One of the things I like is when I am going to a new hole for my pierce cuts and I lift the arm, then put it back down the top-vac is in the exact same place. No fiddling around to get it back into position. I am able to position it out of my hand area, close to the blade, and not be visually distracting. (Though I might paint the tip black to make it disappear more). It might even generate a strong enough air current around the blade I might not even need to use my "puffer". I have a blast gate on the line to the bottom and top vac lines, and a blast gate on the bottom vac so I can "throttle" the flow to that when wood blocks all of the holes and I need less suction. This will increase the upper flow too. Now that I am satisfied with my dust collection piping, I am duct-taping the joints. Of course, the PowerTec products are friction, and work well, but I want extra holding and sealing power. I got colored duct tape, so my Scroll Saw piping is the Orange Line, my hand-held hose for area clean up is the blue line, and the main is the Purple line, which goes to the cyclone and vacuum. I still have to tape my red and green lines. Sure it loses the clean look of clear pipe, but that is the trade-off I had to decide on with aesthetics. I have the Loc-Line secured with zip-ties, and foam at the moment. I will be getting some self-adhering hose clamps shortly to replace them.

Paul it looks like you have a gas and brake pedal in the picture, RJ

My solution to the whole chair dilemma was to take the chair bottom from a HF chair, the tractor seat from a TSC chair, and added a plywood base to the foot rest ( for the foot switch ).

This is my setup, works fine for me. I also use a on/off foot witch instead of the deadman. I switched a couple months age. One switch for the saw, one switch for the vac. I do not have my vac attached to my saw switch because I do not like it going on and off all the time like my saw does. Seems to me the constant on/off of the vac would wear it out quicker. Just my theory, not facts to back it.

As the title says another fun H Botas pattern, I may try to color this one too. My wife is a RN so I thought it was fitting. A fun cut.

Thanks Dick that's very nice of you to say, it's you and many others that inspire me !

Thanks Dick. Not my idea. Keith Fenton has patterns for both top and bottom.

I am blessed that my grandson lives 3 doors down from me. I hope this can stay for a long time. I remember when we lived close to my Grandparents and my Aunts and Uncles. Alas, my father's work took us many hundreds of miles away from family in NYC.

My hybrid seat started as a HF saddle seat. But I had a damaged Hydrocele ( look it up, remember "size of a mango" ) that took the better part of three years to resolve, including a three day stay in the hospital with sepsis. The seat was just to uncomfortable to use, for me, YMMV.